yeah, i bet this has been asked a million times, but what I think the search-function here sucks, so i registered

my problem is Need for Speed 4: High Stakes (german)... not the game itself, but the fact that everything above a TNT2 is unupported. I mean, it should work anyways (well, it actually does) but only in Software-Rendering-Mode D: As you may know, SW-Rendering is not realy a pleasure for eye and... err.. and the fun, basically.
So, how do I get it to work in Hardware-Rendering? Already tried three different Glide Emulators/Wrappers, none of them worked...

my sys-specs:

Athlon XP 1700+ @ 2000MHz
AOpen AK79G Mainboard
512MB Infineon (Single channel *sniff* )
GeForce FX5900 XT (that "Golden Sample" thingy from Gainward)
120GB Seagate Barracuda

so, thx in advance!

It does work, just select Direct3D Device 1 and ignore the warning that comes up, the game runs with any Direct3D card. Just select the 3D device in 3D Setup from the Need For Speed High Stakes or Road Challenge entry in the Start Menu.

omg, a reply!

well, I did that (I'm not THAT dumb ;)) but it seems to select SW-rendering automatically. whatever I do... I also tried to run it with "-d3d1" in the command-line. When I do this, it returns to the desktop without any errors.

and BTW:
I finally found a Glide-wrapper wich actually SEEMS to work. whenever I start the game I hear the menu-music and the sounds when moving the coursur over a button, but I dont see anything... weird

i cant install Sims 2 coz this keeps coming up:
Failed to find any DirectX 9.0c compatible graphics adapters in this system! Please make sure you have a DirectX9.0c compatitble graphics adapter and have installed the latest drivers provided by the manufacturer. The application will now terminate.
Every site on the net has been useless!

what about installing DirectX 9c?? geez...
...or doing what the error message says.

I have run the game with GeForce, GeForce 2's, 3's 4's and the FX line and it works by selecting Direct3D Device 1, your original post wasn't clear so I didn't know whether you tried it or not. It was the simplest solution. I have a guide that helps install this game onto 2000 if you are using that system.

A few other options to try include lowering the AGP aperture, as this is an old game, even try disabling it to see if it works. Upgrading your chipset drivers, or just set up a dual boot with some old 9x version of Windows.

Glide wrappers won't do crap for yah, you might get it loaded but the graphics are going to be really messy, and if it does run it will crash soon afterward, you need real Glide hardware but support for Glide in NT is crap anyways.

Also try going into the registry and change the Direct3D value to 1, its called D3DThrash or something to that effect, I don't have the game installed so I am not sure what it is called exactly...its in the HKEY LOCAL MACHINE>SOFTWARE>EA (Something)>High Stakes, or something to that effect, let me know if you can't find it

I tried a million guides for Win2000 but they all lead to one result: he game wont work ^^

but hey, thanks anyways!
to get to the point: it seems to work fine now on my WinXP rig, since I found the reg-entry!
I'll let you know, when Im in trouble again